Tomura Rafferty, a former offensive lineman who played 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys alongside Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman and won a Super Bowl, has died at the age of 70. Rafferty passed away Thursday in Windsor, Colorado, after being hospitalized since early May due to a stroke, according to his daughter Rachel Powers.
Rafferty was drafted from Pennsylvania and became a starter as right guard in 1977, concluding that season with a Super Bowl 12 victory over Denver. Later, he switched to center and notably helped block on Tony Dorsett’s record 99-yard touchdown run during a 1983 game in Minnesota, despite Dallas having only ten players on the field for that play. His last season was 1989, Aikman’s rookie year, during which he started eight games for the struggling Cowboys team.
One of only 12 players to spend at least 14 seasons with Dallas, Rafferty was teammates with seven others on this exclusive list.
Fan Take: Tomura Rafferty’s passing marks the loss of a key figure from a legendary era of Cowboys football, reminding fans of the grit and determination that helped build the franchise’s winning traditions. His contributions on the line paved the way for iconic moments and players, underscoring the often overlooked importance of offensive linemen in shaping the game.
